by C. R. Daems
"I'm old and thought myself past sailing on a warship, but I think I'd like this one. I don’t believe the SAS understand what you're building here. I believe they think you are building a smaller version of one of our Light cruisers. It's a hundred meter smaller than their typical Light cruiser, but judging by what I see here, I wouldn't be surprise if it isn't a nasty ship to fight." He was chuckling quietly as he walked off. While he was talking, Thalia gave Danu an idea of what the Mnemosyne would look like when functional.
"Yes, a very nasty ship to fight. I will talk with Admiral Plimson about the idea of attaching SAS units to the Riss cruisers. An interesting concept and consistent with the idea of the Riss being allies of the SAS."
Zann departed two days later.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Trial run
The months flew by as the work of outfitting the Mnemosyne moved into high gear. I spent a considerable amount time visiting Alesd where the Bridge and missile electronics were being designed, manufactured, and tested. It was a lot easier to have an idea than to make it into a working component. Most of the problems came in creating the algorithms for the three missiles and control panels.
I had enough Riss now on Freeland to provide help at each of the manufacturing plants, installation on the Mnemosyne, and algorithms at Alesd. At least half the time, I took Pavao and Alena along. Including everyone in the design had proved beneficial.
Pavao sipped her kaffa as she, Alena and I relaxed in the Captain's … my newly furnished conference room on the Mnemosyne. "I had lots of doubts and misconceptions when you started the Riss cruiser. I thought a small raider-type cruiser using their technology. I never imagined a unique design. And that pales next to the innovations on the Mnemosyne. It's a next generation cruiser. If the tests prove successful, I wouldn't want to take her on with a Heavy." A satisfied look appeared on her face. "The best part is I got to participate in the design and production."
"I feel the same way. Being a Riss-human in the beginning was a living nightmare. Everyone thinking I was some kind of dumb animal to be abused or an abomination to be gotten rid of. The worse part, I had no one to turn to for support," Alena said. "If it hadn’t been for my love of Ma'at and Nadya, I would have quit and returned to Saipha. I feel like I've gone from space hell to space heaven ever since Admiral Plimson accepted Nadya's Riss Proposal."
"Well, Nadya, when do we show off the Mnemosyne?"
"Da'Maass hopes it will be fully equipped and ready for trials in two months, just about the time the replacements are due. I'd like to delay their arrival by two months to give us time to iron out any problems. That way whoever is coming will see a functional cruiser."
"How are we going to test the Mnemosyne? You’re not shooting missiles at the Bobcat," she laughed but looked serious.
"No. I thought we'd restore the Asp enough to make it space worthy and use it as a test opponent." I held up my hand when Pavao frowned. "Under the watchful eyes of Scorpions."
"What about the Mnemosyne's defensive systems?"
"I thought we give them twenty missiles." Again, I stopped her with my hand. "Without the warheads, Nance. I'd like your approval on the tests and to keep Corbitt in the loop."
"That's wise. Restoring the Asp will be very controversial. I think I'd disapprove if you hadn't included me on every step of the Mnemosyne's design and construction. Now you've got me hooked. I want to see it operational as much as you do."
* * *
Corbitt, Da'Maass, Ni'Shay, and Pavao walked onto the Bridge of the Mnemosyne and took their seats. In the design, I had incorporated positions were seats could be installed temporarily. At the time, I knew I'd have to accommodate my security detail and guests, like today. I took the Captain's chair officially for the first time. My eyes misted as I looked around the Bridge—a Riss Bridge manned by Riss.
** Permission to detach Mnemosyne.** r-Galene voice box sent to the station controller.
"You're cleared, Mnemosyne."
<,Helm. Half speed on engines one, three, five, seven, and ten,>
After approaching the Asp for twenty minutes, I concluded we had not been detected.
Alena pointed to the overhead monitors as each panel switched its function and as missiles were fired or detected as incoming.
The test went on for over an hour. Finally, I called a halt. The Mnemosyne had scored three hits out of five. The Asp had scored zero out of ten, even after we had intentionally signaled our position.
"Well, how do you like being on a Riss Cruiser?" I said, breaking the peaceful silence. Ni’Shay’s mouth opened and closed for a moment, as he seemed to be trying to find the right words.
"It was like being among the space gods. Except for the monitor, I wouldn't have known a battle was occurring with the Asp. I thank you for allowing me on the Mnemosyne."
"You’re welcome, elder Ni'Shay. You should be proud. The people of Freeland built it."
"I agree with Ni'Shay. The Riss and the Mnemosyne are awesome. Are you ready to invite the Admiral to Freeland?" Pavao asked.
"Not yet. The Dragonflies and Demons need further work. They failed to make the necessary adjustment in two instances. And although I stimulated the failure of the Radar panel, the ECM console failed on r-Asdis's panel when they switched. It served as a great demonstration of how the redundancy worked, but it failed and shouldn't have. I want the Admiral to see a working product, so any decision he makes is based on what works not what maybe works or could be made to work."
Pavao was excited and wanted to announce the results right away, and I sensed a little concern I didn’t want to share.
"Pavao, you have access to all the specs and the Riss have already shared Symath with the SAS. The Riss have no secrets from the military, but I want to confine it to Admiral Plimson and let him decide who else should know."
"The clans know," she said.
“The clans have the hardware specifications b
ut they’re of little value without the algorithms. And even the algorithms are of little value unless you understand Symath. That could take a lifetime to learn without Riss help."
"Yes, I'm excited and cautious, but you're right. Plus I'd like to consider how we can convert the Bobcat," She laughed. "You know that's the next step."
"I agree. I think you and Corbitt should do a review of the Mnemosyne's features and determine which are applicable to a Hunter and which to a Light cruiser. Then prepare a plan documenting what would have to be done to implement them on each ship. You can make that part of the show-and-tell we give Admiral Plimson."
"I thought I could get you to do the work," Pavao said, smiling. "Okay, but I'll want you to review it before we present it to Plimson.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Security chief arrives
"Captain, the Merlin is reporting a Heavy cruiser has entered the system. It's the Nicobar, an Intel ship, with Vice Admiral Munoz, Assistant Director of SAS Intelligence, aboard. He is requesting Commander Iglis and you join him for dinner at seventeen hundred hours," Gelman said, looking at me over his shoulder.
"Get me Commander Iglis on the Comm."
"Ma'am, Commander Iglis is on the Comm," Gelman said after a few minutes.
"Commander Iglis, Vice Admiral Munoz is requesting your presence at dinner tonight at seventeen hundred hours," I said. Silence followed.
"... You’re joking, aren't you?"
"No, wear your best uniform. I'll meet you at my shuttle at sixteen hundred. I wouldn't be late. Admirals don't like to be kept waiting." I cut the connection and smiled. The Admiral would have come because of the information she had collected on the JPU and UFN, and that would be a feather in her cap. If she weren't so focused on meeting with an Admiral, she'd realize that. I knew what my first and second and ... meetings felt like and there was nothing I could say that would make her feel better.
"Varisko, you have the Watch. I suspect I should also dress in my best uniform."
"Captain, I have the Watch."
* * *
Iglis stood by the shuttle when I arrived. I imagined she had been there for some time.
"Commander, are you ready for your audition?"
"No! What could he want with me? I can't think of anything I did so terrible that he'd come personally. I requested a Comstat like you suggested—"
"Stop. You haven't done anything wrong, otherwise you'd be on a ship back to Eden. He’s here because of the excellent work you've done." I grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her towards the shuttle door, and gave her a slight push. She stopped short of the steps to let me board first and followed. After I pointed to the seat next to me, she sat.
"You think so?"
"Yes, Iglis. I know a meeting with an Admiral is stressful, but try and relax. The Admiral isn't going to bite." The ride to the Nicobar was short, and we arrived fifteen minutes early. A Lt. Commander met us as we departed.
"Captain Reese, Commander Iglis, I'm Lt. Commander Hensen. Admiral Munoz sends his regards and asked me to escort you to his office." Hensen looked young for his rank, in his early thirties. He had wavy dark-brown hair, a slightly round face, an athletic build, and blue eyes that shined with enthusiasm. Judging by his age, he was on a fast track for promotions. Before taking us to the Admiral, he gave us a brief tour of the Nicobar. Iglis looked like a kid in a candy store when he showed us the intelligence suite, which looked to be three times the size of the Bridge on the Lynx. When we arrived at the Admiral's office, one of the two security guards knocked and then opened the door, and Hensen stepped to the side for us. I entered with Iglis slowly following. We braced to attention and saluted as Hensen closed the door. Munoz returned the saluted while surveying me.
"Relax, and have a seat. Hensen, get the Captain and Commander something to drink."
"Kaffa," I said.
"Water," Iglis said after a slight hesitation.
"Reese, you and Iglis don't think much of our rules about the separation of the Intel group and ship command," Munoz's eyes went from me to Iglis and back to me. Iglis's face turned pale. "Normally, I'd recall the officer, put her career on hold, and send a letter of complaint to Admiral Plimson. But you two keep doing the impossible. You've found Freeland and you've established a spy network in the UFN and JPU of our dreams. I can't condone your behavior without allowing others to break the rules, which we don't want. The rule is good and necessary. So, consider yourselves chastised. Please stand," he said as he rose. Iglis's face looked like white granite. Munoz came around the table and handed Iglis a small, velvet box and put out his hand. Iglis took the box and shook his hand, looking shocked. "Congratulations, Commander. Your temporary promotion is now permanent, and you're the station's intelligence officer. That's the good news. The bad news you will probably be assigned to Captain Reese's ship for the rest of your career."
"Admiral Munoz, you'll need to cut her new orders as I'm taking command of a new ship," I said as Munoz returned to his desk and waved us to sit.
"What ship is that, Reese? They aren't relieving you of command, are they?"
"No, sir. I'll be taking command of the RNN Mnemosyne, and I'd welcome Iglis and her staff on board."
"That's the new cruiser Admiral Plimson authorized you to build. Why do I think you're trying to circumvent Intelligence department regulations ... again?"
"Sir, if you would allow me, I'd like to take you on a tour of the Mnemosyne, tomorrow."
"I'd like that. Commander Iglis, the day after, you will give my staff and me an up-to-date briefing on what you have on the UFN and JPU."
The dinner was a quiet affair with a few of his senior officers. Most of the talk revolved around Freeland and the clans. The discussions went on for hours, and it was late when we arrived at the shuttle.
After the shuttle was airborne, Iglis turned to me with an ear-to-ear grin and sparkling eyes. "You were right. I never dreamed I'd make Lt. Commander this early in my career, and I'm a full Commander. But I thought the Mnemosyne was going to be exclusively a Riss cruiser."
"It is. But I would like a few SAS groups on board, as detached units: Intelligence, Sharks, and Scorpions. Part of the reason is that I don't believe the Riss would do well in those positions, but it will also establish the Riss as allies of the SAS with nothing to hide."
"Do you really think, the Admiral is going to allow an Intelligence group on the Mnemosyne?"
"Oh, yes. Spooks like their noses in everything." I laughed, and after a slight pause, so did Iglis.
* * *
I gave Munoz a small fight in the Mnemosyne, mostly to show him Riss operating the ship. He agreed to an Intelligence group on the ship immediately when I explained I would be requesting SAS fighter and commando groups be attached along with Iglis. Over the next few days, Munoz had a Comstat unit installed. I imagined after Iglis's briefing, he wanted to ensure he could communicate with her with minimum delay. After the Nicobar had departed, I stopped in to talk to Iglis and met Master Chief Drock on his way out.
"Captain, I hope you've come to help. I've tried everything I know, but I can't get her to stop smiling."
"I don't know, Master Chief. Maybe you could enlist the help of some of the other chiefs." I shrugged. He laughed, knocked on the door to her office and wandered off.
“Enter,” she called out in a routine voice. When she saw it was me, she bolted to attention. "Captain!"
"Quit that, Iglis. Remember we're not supposed to fraternize."
"Do you want some kaffa?" Before I could answer she had a cup filled and in my hand. "Thank you for letting me see the Mnemosyne. I love it! I know we aren't supposed to fraternize but I dreaded you leaving. You've been my mentor over the years and even Admiral Munoz seemed to think our association has benefited the SAS."
"Funny thing about breaking rules. If good comes of it, then you're a hero. If not, you're in a world of hurt. We've done our jobs as best we can, and the SAS has benefited. All we can do now is to continue to
do our jobs to the best of our abilities and hope the SAS continues to benefit."
"Yes, ma'am. And I'll sure this smile will be gone in a couple of months."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Plimson inspects Mnemosyne
The work on the Mnemosyne continued at a feverish pace. I had managed to delay Plimson an extra month. He was eager to see the Mnemosyne after talking with Zann and reluctantly agreed to a one-month delay. Pavao, Corbitt, and I met a couple of times each week to review progress and the plan to incorporate some of the Mnemosyne technology into the SAS cruisers. We decided the potential modifications fell into three categories: those features that could be accommodated relatively quickly, those that would require extensive work and time, and those that couldn't or shouldn't be implemented.
On the short list were the missiles. We decided the missile tubes could be left as they were so that they could continue to support the existing SAS missiles. The new missiles could be resized to fit the SAS tubes without affecting the internal systems; however, the software had to be changed and an additional panel added to accommodate the different types of missiles. And of course, a good deal of training.
On the long list were the outer skin and the power system. We considered adding one or two small engines to provide silent running.
On the forget-it-list was the bridge design and redundant features, the outdoors level, and the heighten ceilings.
Two weeks before Plimson was scheduled to arrive, we met in my office and signed off on the Mnemosyne and the upgrade proposal.
"Nance, Bill, I want to personally thank you on behalf of the Riss for your help and support in the design, construction, and participation in the trials of the Mnemosyne. I could not have done it without you."
"You’re welcome, although I would have paid to participate. It's not only been exciting, but it's been an education. And Bill and I will have bragging rights until long after we're retired. My only regret is that I'll never command one. It makes me wish I could be a Riss-human." Pavao's eyes looked sad, although she was smiling.